Hollow heel for shoes



P 29, 1959 A. F. BALL EI'AL 9 113 HOLLOW HEEL. FOR SHOES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 28, 1958 Sept. 29, 1959 F, BALL ETA 2,906,039

y HOLLOW HEEL FOR SHOES Filed July 28, 1958 v 3 Sheet.s-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Fofier 71. faldfiaum BY fiat/fur 7? Bali ATTORNEYS Sept. 29, 1959 A. F. B ALL ET AL HOLLOW HEEL FOR SHOES s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 28, 1958 Edgar 7/. Wlfililqy A Z'Z'ORNEYJ United States Patent HOLLOW HEEL FOR SHOES Arthur F. Ball and Robert H. Goldbaum, Haverhill, and

Edgar H. Whitney, Westfield, Mass, assignors of onehalf to Robert H. Goldbaum, Haverhill, and one-half to Mitchell M. Sega], North Andover, both oi Massachusetts Application July 28, 1958, Serial No. 751,231

6 Claims. (Cl. 36--34) The present invention relates to heels, and more particularly, to wedge or platform heels, hereinafter both referred to herein as wedge heels, though the invention is also useful with Cuban and other shapes of heels, as well.

Wedge heels and the like have usually been made solid of wood, cork and other substances. While it has heretofore been proposed to use plastic materials, such materials, however, are too expensive to be used solid and, if made hollow, they have not been sufiiciently rigid to stand up, in use. g

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hollow heel.

It is a further object to provide a novel wedge or platform heel.

An additional object is to provide a novel Cuban-type heel.

Other and further objects will be explained hereinafter and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

With the above ends in View, a feature of the invention resides in a two-piece hollow heel, each piece in the form of a unitary molded piece of plastic. One of the pieces comprises a hollow body part having, in the case of a wedge heel and the like, an integral tread-and-shank with integral back and sides the lower portions of which are continuous with the tread-and-shank and the upper portions of which bound an opening at the heel-seat-andshank area of the heel. The other piece comprises a heel-seat-and-shank part for closing the opening, and it has a back and sides corresponding in shape to the back, sides and shank of the body part. The back and sides of .the body part are interiorly provided with reinforcing ribs extending in a direction away from the integral tread-and-shank; The heel-seat-and-shank part is provided with transversely disposed reinforcing ribs that are of greater dimension between the sides than at the sides.

The shank of the body part may also be provided with a reinforcing rib, which rib extends longitudinally and is provided with a portion for engagement by at least one of the transversely disposed reinforcing ribs of the heel-sea -and-shank part. The ribs of the body part are provided with tenons that project into mortises of the heel-and-shank part for joining the two pieces together. The free end of the shank of the wedge-heel-seat-andshank part is provided witha projecting wedge-shaped lip of thickness less than the thickness of the body of the wedge-heel-seat-and-shank part, thereby providing a shoulder above the lip. I

shown in Figs. 1 and 2, assembled in the form of a completed wedge heel;

. Fig. 4 is a longitudinalsection taken upon the line 44 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, of corresponding parts of a modified heel;

Fig. 7 is a perspective corresponding to Fig. 3 of the parts of Figs. 5 and 6 assembled as a completed heel;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view, partly broken away to illustrate details of construction, of a preferred embodi ment of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary underside view of the heel of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a transverse section taken along the line l010 of Fig. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The wedge heel illustrated in Figs. 3 and 8 comprises;

Each of these molded pieces of plastic is of substantially unipreferably two unitary molded pieces of plastic.

. form thickness.

The unitary molded piece of plastic illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8, comprises a hollow-heel body part having an integral tread part 2 and shank part 4, integrally molded together with a back part 6 and side-part walls. The side-part walls include not only the side parts 8 of the' side-part walls directly above the tread part 2, but also' the side parts 10 above the shank part 4. The portions of the integral back part 6 and side-part walls 8, 10, as

a result of the molding process, are naturally continuous? with the integral tread-and-shank 2, 4. The upper portions of the integral back part 6 and side-part walls 8 10, however, bound an opening at the heel-seat-and-shank area of the heel. This opening extends from the upper edge of the back part 6, along the edges of the side-part walls 8, 10 to a projecting wedge-shaped lip 12 at the free end of the shank part 4.

The unitarymolded piece of plastic illustrated in Figs.

2 and 8 comprises an integral heel-seat part 14 and shank part 16, constituting a cover portion for closing the opening in the hollow body part illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8. This heel-seat-and-shank part 14, 16 is provided with a back part 18 and side-wall parts 20 and 22. The back part 18 corresponds to the back part 6 of the hollowheel body part, the side-wall parts 20 to the side-wall paits 8 of the hollow-heel body part, and the side-wall parts 22 to the side-wall parts 10 of the hollow heel-body part, and they'are correspondingly positioned, and they respectively correspond substantially in shape and size. I

,material of the hollow-heel body part along the upper part of the back part 6 and side-part walls 8, 10.

Patented Sept. 29, 1959 The cover portion, therefore, fits exactly over the beforedescribed opening at the top of the hollow-heel body part, with a close fit. The lower edge or wall of the rib 24 may be cemented to the upper edge or walls of the back part 6 and the side-wall parts 8, 10. The two unitary molded pieces of plastic illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 become thus integrally secured together to form the hollow heel shown in Fig. 3. Further securing means for holding these two unitary molded pieces of plastic together will be described hereinafter.

A hollow heel, as so far described, however, would display elements of weakness. According to the present invention, on the other hand, this Weakness is overcome by suitable reinforcement.

As illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1 and 4, the side-wall parts 8, 10 of the hollow-heel body part are inwardly provided integrally with reinforcing ribs 28 extending in a direction away from the integral tread-andshank 2, 4. The back part 6 is also shown provided with a similar reinforcing rib 30 extending in a direction away from the integral tread-and-shank 2, 4. The ribs 28, 30 impart strength to the side-wall parts 8, 1i and the back part 6, respectively, thus resisting any collapsing tendency of the hollow-heel body part. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the tread part 2 does not require any additional reinforcing, but the shank part 4, is provided with a longitudinally extending reinforcing rib 32.

' In order to prevent the heel-seat-and-shank part, shown in Fig. 2, from buckling under the weight of the wearer, it is shown provided with transversely disposed reinforcing ribs 34. As shown clearly in Fig. 2, these ribs 34 are of greater dimension between the side parts 20 and 22 than at their sides, to provide greater reinforcement at the internal partsof the heel-seat-and-shank part than at the sides 20, 22 thereof.

The reinforcing ribs 28 and 30 of the hollow-heel body part are shown respectively provided with a tenon 36 adapted to be received in a corresponding mortise 38 depending from the heel-seat-and-shank part of the cover portion. The tenons 36 project upward from the free ends of the reinforcing ribs 28, 30, spaced from the back part 6 and the side-wall parts 8, 10 a distance equal to or sufiicient to receive the thickness of the ribs 24. The rib 24, therefore, fits snugly between the tenons 36 and the upper parts of the back part 6 and the side-wall parts 8, 10. The mortises 38 are positioned on the inner face of the heel-seat-and-shank part, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to match with the positions of the tenons 36 shown in Fig. 1. In some instances, therefore, the mortises 38 are shown at the ends of the reinforcing ribs 34. In other instances, as where there are no reinforcing ribs 34, the mortises are positioned at the back part 26 and at the other end of the heel-seat-and-shank part of the cover portion. The tenons 36 and the mortises 38 in which they are secured, either with or without the aid of cement, serve as additional cooperating means for securing the unitary molded pieces of Figs. 1 and 2 together.

The longitudinally extending rib 32 along the shank part 4 of the hollow-heel body part is shown provided with an intermediately disposed widened portion 40 for engagement by a similarly shaped engaging part 42 provided upon the inner face of the shank part of the cover portion, thus to carry some of the wearerb weight.

The lip 12 of the hollow-heel body part, illustrated in Fig. l, is shown more particularly in Fig. 4 terminating, at its free end, in a portion of thickness less than the thickness of the back part 6 and the side-wall parts 8, 10. The free end of the heel-seat-and-shank part, illustrated in Fig. 2, is shown similarly provided with a projecting wedge-shaped lip 44 that, as is more particularly evident in Fig. 4, is of similarly thinner dimension at its free end. The lip 44 is seated in a correspondingly shaped recess 46 of the before-described opening of the 4 lip 12 of the shank 4. A sharp provided just above the lip 44.

In the preferred embodiment-of Figs. 8 to 10, still greater strength is imparted to the heel. Again, it is to be understood that the heel may be of any desired type, as shown, for example, in the Cuban type of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, though the invention is of particular importance in connection with the illustrated wedge-type heel. In this preferred heel, the integral cover portion 14, 16 is provided with apertures 38 only, Figs. 8 and 10 instead of mortises 38, for receivingthe tenons 36 of the hollow heel body part 2, 4. The tenons 36, moreover, project from intermediate portions 28, Fig. 10, and 30', Fig. 8, of the upper flat edges of the reinforcing ribs 28, 30, respectively, so that the inner-surface peripheral portions of the cover portion 14, 16 immediately surrounding the apertures 38' may rest thereupon. The thickness of the cover portion 14, 16 corresponds to the length of the tenons 36 so that the cover portion may be seated flush within the body part 2, 4, Figs. 8 and 10 instead of seating on top of the same as in Figs. 1 to 4. This avoids the external side-wall line of connection between the cover portion and the hollow body part of the heel. The shoulder 48 of the cover portion of the heel of Figs. 1 to 4, may now be transferred to the rearward edge of the lip 12, as shown in Fig. 8. The forward edge of the cover portion 14, 16, may then be supported upon the lip 12.

The depending transversely disposed reinforcing ribs 34 of Fig. 8, moreover, have their intermediate portions 34' extending down toward the heel and shank surfaces 2, 4 of the hollow body part of the heel. They are, in fact, shown integrally formed as substantially Y or V- shaped structural supports 3434 extending on either side of a central longitudinally extending planar support 1, apertured between the supports 3434' at 17, 17' and 17". The forward edge 13 of the planar support 1 is received within a central slot 11 in the before-described shoulder 48 of the body part of the heel.

The two rear-most supporting ribs 34-34 are provided with respective lower flanges 15 and 19 from which centrally depend respective longitudinal locking keys 3 and 3'. The keys 3 and 3' are received within respective longitudinal slots 5 and 5' formed in reinforcing feet 7 and 9 provided upon the heel seat part 2 of the hollow body portion. The key 3 is preferably somewhat longer than the key 3', Fig. 9, and is provided with a tapered terminal lip 33 extending to one side thereof; shown extending downward in Fig. 9 and to the left in Fig. 10. The similar lip 33 of the key 3' extends to the opposite side, shown upward in Fig. 9. By pressing the cover portion down in the hollow body part of the heel, in view of the resilient nature of the support 1, aided by the play afforded by a dividing slot extension 7 from the aperture 17 in the support between the rear-most supports 3434', the keys 3 and 3' will enter the respective heelseat slots 5 and 5'. The oppositely extending lips 33 and 33 of the respective keys 3 and 3' will thereupon snap and lock over opposite-side flanges 55 and 55', respectively, of the slots 5 and 5', with the flanges 15 and 19 riding above the reinforcing feet 7 and 9. The cover portion will at such time be seated within the opening at the top of the hollow body part of the heel, with the tenons 36 received within the apertures 38' and the inner peripheral portions of the cover portion resting upon the top edges 28', 30 of the reinforcing ribs 28, 30. If desired, for gripping purposes, the bottom external surfaces of the heel and shank portions 2 and 4 of the hollow body portion may be molded with a roughened exterior, as shown at 23 and 21 in Fig. 9.

Though the invention has been described, above, in connection with wedge heels and the like, it is, as before stated, applicable also to heels of other types, as illushollow-heel body part, flush with the upper surface of the trated, for example, by the Cuban-type heel in Figs. 5,

shoulder 48 is thus- 3, 6, 7 corresponding parts being designated by the same reference numerals. 1

With other types of heel, however, not all the same problems are encountered as with the wedge-shaped type of heel above described. The wedge-shaped type of heel, as ordinarily constructed, is of different thicknesses in difierent cross-sections. It is not practicable, however, to have different thicknesses in a molded plastic heel. Different thicknesses of plastic would involve different times of cooling of the different parts, and this would be objectionable for various reasons. One reason is that the speed of production would thereby be lengthened. Another reason is that different times of cooling would introduce strains in the final product, and these strains would have the double effect of weakening the product and deforming the shape of that product.

According to the present invention, however, a heel has been devised that is of substantially uniform thickness throughout. Even the reinforcing ribs are of such dimension and location as not to introduce any substantial difference in time of cooling or deforming irregularities. This is particularly not easy of achievement in heels of so irregular shape as wedge heels; particularly wedge heels with the sharp shoulder 48, positioned as illustrated in the drawings, just above the wedge-shaped 'lips 12 and 44. The described constructionavoids the necessity for a thickened construction in either the body of the heel or the heel-seat-and-shank cover portion for the opening thereof.

The heel of the present invention has the further advantage that, being constituted of plastic throughout, it is not necessary to superpose thereover a platform of leather or composition; such leather or composition platform deforming during the process of covering the heel by pulling a cover down over the heel from the upper to which it is attached. No such deformity can occur during the manufacture of shoes embodying the heel of the present invention.

A still further advantage over shoes made with conventional Wedge heels and the like is that a ridge is frequently left in the shoe at the position of the conventional heel where the shoulder 48 of the heel of the present invention is positioned. This ridge is uncomfortable to the wearers foot. No such ridge is obtained in shoes made with the heel of the present invention, since the surface of the completed heel is unridged.

Any suitable plastic may be used for the manufacture of the heel of the present invention. The heel may, for example, be injection molded with high-impact styrene.

In one series of tests, such heels constructed in accordance with the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4 withstood over 2,500 pounds of compression, whereas the stronger heels of Figs. 8 to 10 withstood over 7,900 pounds of compression.

Further modifications will occur to presons skilled in the art,.and all such are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A heel comprising a hollow body part having a tread and also a back and sides the lower portions of which are continuous with the tread and the upper portions of which bound an opening at the heel-seat area of the heel, and a heel-seat part for closing the opening having a back and sides corresponding in shape and size to the shape and size of the back and sides of the body part, the body part and the heel-seat part being each constituted of a unitary molded single piece of plastic of substantially uniform thickness, means for reinforcing the substantially uniformly thin plastic in order to impart gerater strength thereto, and means for holding the body part and the heel-seat part in assembled relation as a heel when the heel-seat part closes the opening.

2. A heel comprising a hollow body part having a tread and also a back and sides the lower portions of which are continuous with the tread and the upper po'r tions of which bound an opening at the heel-seat area of the heel, and a heel-seat part for closing the opening having a back and sides corresponding in shape and size to the shape and size of the back and sides of the body part, the body part and the heel-seat part being each constituted of a unitary molded single piece of plastic of substantially uniform thinness, one-of the parts being provided with reinforcing ribs for reinforcing the substantially uniformly thin plastic in order to impart greater strength thereto, and the other part being-provided with means cooperating with the reinforcing ribs to hold the body part and the heel-seat part in assembled relation as a heel when the heel-seat part closes the opening.

3. A wedge heel comprising a hollow body part having an integral tread-and-shank and also a back, sides and shank the lower portions of which are continuous with the tread-and-shank and the upper portions of which bound an opening at the heel-seat-and-shank area of the heel, and a wedge-heel-seat-and-shank part for closing the opening having a back, sides and shank corresponding in shape and size to the shape and size of the back, sides and shank of the body part, the body part and the heel-seat-andshank part being each constituted of a unitary molded single piece of plastic of substantially uniform thinness, means for reinforcing the substantially uniformly thin plastic in order to impart greater strength thereto, and means cooperating with the reinforcing means for bolding the body part and the heel-seat-and-shank part in assembled relation as a heel when the heel-seat-and-shank part closes the opening.

-4. A wedge heel comprising a hollow body part having an integral tread-and-shank and also a back, sides and shank the lower portions of which are continuous with the tread-and-shank and the upper portions of which bound an opening at the heel-seat-and-shank area of the heel, and a wedge-heel-seat-and-shank part for closing the opening having a back, sides and shank corresponding in shape and size to the shape and size of the back, sides and shank of the body part, the body part and the heeland-shank part being each constituted of a unitary molded single piece of plastic cf substantially uniform thinness, the body part and the heel-seat-and-shank part being each provided with reinforcing ribs for reinforcing the substantially uniformly thin plastic in order to impart greater strength thereto, the reinforcing ribs of the body part extending in a direction from the tread-and-shank toward the opening, the reinforcing ribs of one of the parts being provided with tenons, and the other part being provided with openings in which the tenons are received to hold the body part and the heel-seat-and-shank part in assembled relation as a heel when the heel-seat-andshank part closes the opening.

5. A heel comprising a hollow body part having a tread and also a back and sides the lower portions of which are continuous with the tread and the upper portions of which bound an opening at the heel-seat area of the heel, and a heel-seat part for closing the opening having a back and sides corresponding in shape and size to the shape and size of the back and sides of the body part, one of the parts being provided with a key, and the other part being provided with an aperture in which the key is received to lock the body part and the heel-seat part in assembled relation as a heel when the heel-seat part closes the opening.

6. A wedge heel comprising a hollow body part having an integral tread-and-shank and also a back, sides and shank the lower portions of which are continuous with the tread-and-shank and the upper portions of which bound an opening at the heel-seat-and-shank area of the heel, and a wedge-heel-seat-and-shank part for closing the opening having a back, sides and shank corresponding in shape and size to the shape and size of the back, sides and shank of the body part, the body part and the heel-seat-and-shank part being each constituted of a unitary molded single piece of plastic of substantially uniform thinness, the body part and the heel-seat-andshank part being each provided with reinforcing ribs for reinforcing the substantially uniformly thin plastic in order to impart greater strength thereto, the reinforcing ribs of the body part extending in a direction from the tread-and-shank toward the opening and terminating at their free ends in tenons, the heel-seat-and-shank part being provided with openings in which the tenons are received to hold the body part and the heel-seat-andshank part in assembled relation as a heel when the heelseat-and-shank part closes the opening, the heel-seat-andshank part being provided with a key, and the tread of the body part being provided with an aperture in which the key is received to lock the body part and the heelseat-and-shank part in such assembled relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS gar-1- 

